CDQAP – North Coast
Reference Binder
TAB 5.1 March 2012
Outline
Nutrient Management Plan (NMP)
Contact: Cherie Blatt, North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board
CBlatt@waterboards.ca.gov (707) 576-2755
http://www.waterboards.ca.gov/northcoast/water_issues/programs/dairies/
The facilities covered under the following Orders are required to develop and implement a NMP if
manure and/or dairy process water is applied to land as a soil amendment or source of nutrients:
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Conditional Waiver Order No. R1-2012-0003: 700 or more mature dairy cows (milking + dry).
This NMP is encouraged and recommended for all smaller dairies.
General Waste Discharge Requirements (GWDR) Order No. R1-2012-0002: All enrolled.
Manure and process water cannot be applied to land for the purpose of disposal. Manure and process
water that are wastes must be disposed at an appropriate permitted disposal facility. All Dischargers
must report on NMP progress by filling out the Annual Report (Monitoring and Reporting Program
(MRP), Appendix 3) for submittal by November 30 each year beginning in 2013.
NMP Development and Modifications
Developed by the Dischargers with the assistance of specialists such as those with a degree in or
certification from:
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Soil Scientist
Agronomist
Crop Advisor
University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) service advisor or technician
Technical Service Provider certified by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
In particular, Dischargers shall get assistance from these specialists in completing the nutrient budget
calculations. The Regional Water Board staff may approve the use of alternative specialists.
The nutrient budget component of the NMP shall be revised within 30 days when:
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Discharges from a land application area result in exceedence of water quality objectives
The NMP shall be revised within 90 days when any of the following occur:
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Site-specific information becomes available to replace default values used in the initial NMP
Changes in operating practices result in the production of nutrients that are not addressed by
the NMP
Crops will be grown that are not covered by the NMP
There is a change of 15% or more in the acreage used for land application
The NMP is not effective in preventing periodic discharges of manure or process water to
Waters of the United States (US)
The Discharger shall review the NMP annually and revise it if changes in conditions or practices at the
dairy require changes in the NMP. The review/revision date must be noted in the NMP. Records on
the timing and amounts of manure and process water applied to land and information developed
Monitoring and Reporting Program - Nutrient Management Plan Outline
Rev. 2/6/2012
through a Monitoring and Reporting Program (MRP) associated with the Waiver Order for the dairy
must be considered when making decisions related to nutrient management.
Management of Dairy Manure and Process Water
Compliance with the following management measures is required once the Discharger begins
implementation of the NMP. Best Management Practices (BMPs) must be in place to prevent
discharges to surface waters at all times:
The collection, treatment, storage, or application of manure or process water shall not result in:
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Degradation of surface water or groundwater
Contamination or pollution of surface water or groundwater
A condition of nuisance (as defined by the California Water Code Section 13050)
Violation of any applicable local, state, or federal laws or regulations
Exceedence of any applicable water quality objective in the Basin Plan
Exceedence of any applicable state or federal water quality criteria
Discharge of process water to surface water
Discharge of stormwater to surface water from land where manure or process water has been
applied, unless all applications to land are in accordance with a NMP
Application of manure and process water to land not in accordance with a NMP
Contents of NMP
Contact Information including the name, mailing address, and phone number of:
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The dairy owner
The dairy operator (if different)
Any specialist who participated in the development of the NMP
Specific dates:
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The date that the NMP was completed
The date that the NMP will be implemented
The dates of anticipated NMP reviews and revisions
Description of the dairy:
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Name of the dairy
Dairy address (if no street number, the street and nearest cross street)
Design maximum cow population by type (milk cows, dry cows, heifers, calves) as of 19
January 2012
Current cow population by type
Assessor’s Parcel Number(s) for the dairy and all associated land
The total acreage for each Assessor’s Parcel
The acreage used for crops including pasture
The acreage used for application of manure, process water, or both
The crop rotation, if any, within each land application area
Monitoring and Reporting Program - Nutrient Management Plan Outline
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Rev. 2/6/2012
Maps (USGS quadrangle or equivalent), aerial photos, and/or drawings showing the locations of:
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The dairy
Production area
Livestock feeding areas
Livestock housing areas
Feed storage areas
Manure and process water storage areas
Milk barn
Chemical storage areas
Waste storage areas
Areas under the Discharger’s control to which manure or process water may be applied
Surface water courses and conveyances
Underground pipelines
Where process water is mixed with irrigation water or discharged
Drainage flows for the production area and each field
Drainage ditches and drainage easements
Drainage controls (berms, levees, etc.) for tailwater and storm water
Extent of subsurface (tile) drainage systems and associated discharge points
Pumping facilities and flow meters
Wells and type (domestic, industrial, agricultural, or monitoring)
Storm water discharge points
Any septic systems
Water quality sampling points
Map legend
More than one map may be used for clarity. These mapping components are also required in the Water
Quality Plan (MRP, Appendix 1). Duplicates may be used.
Nutrient Budget Calculations:
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Showing all sources of nutrients used by the facility
Rate of nutrient applications (e.g., pounds of nitrogen per acre) based on analytical data
Storage capacity for manure and process water based on maximum time between land
application events
Must be reviewed annually and updated if any significant changes in conditions or practices at
the dairy that necessitate changes in the NMP
Describe Land Application Practices and Water Quality Protection:
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Nutrient application practices for each crop in each land application area
Application schedule based on seasonal and climatic conditions, the growth stage of the crop,
and the availability of water
Methods of nutrient application based on site-specific conditions and the minimization of
discharge
BMPs that are implemented to protect surface water and groundwater (i.e., 100-foot setbacks,
35-foot vegetative buffers, or any more stringent alternative practice approved by a
professional)
Monitoring and Reporting Program - Nutrient Management Plan Outline
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Rev. 2/6/2012
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BMPs to minimize impacts due to excess application of nutrients
All surface water or potential conduits to surface water within 100 feet of any land application
area
Sampling and Analysis Program:
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Describe sampling locations
Describe sampling frequency
Describe sampling collection and preservation procedures
Identify analytical laboratory utilized (must be certified or approved by RWB staff)
Identify analyses to be conducted for soil, manure, soil amendments, process water, irrigation
water, plant tissue, etc.
Analytical results shall be used during the development, implementation, and revision of the
NMP
Soils and crop tissues shall be analyzed for available phosphorus at least once every 5 years
Ammonia Nitrogen (NH4) and Total Nitrogen will be measured through water and soil sampling
Laboratory analysis methods are identified in California Analytical Methods Manual for Dairy General
Order Compliance – Nutrient Management Plan Constituents:
http://anlab.ucdavis.edu/docs/uc_analytical_methods.pdf
Field Risk Assessment:
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Sample discharges of stormwater from land application areas to surface water (see MRP)
Analytical results shall be used to assess water quality conditions and to inform management
practices
If results indicate a potential for adverse impacts to receiving waters, the Discharger shall modify their
NMP to reduce such movement and collect additional samples to assess the effectiveness of the
modifications.
Record-Keeping and NMP Review:
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Maintain records for each land application area
Use the records as a basis for revisions to the NMP
NMP must be available for Regional Water Board staff review during inspections
Monitoring and Reporting Program - Nutrient Management Plan Outline
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Rev. 2/6/2012